Broken Skies by Theresa Kay Read Free Book Online

lowering the knife and moving to shove it up underneath his ribs.
    “Jax! Stop!” A hand comes down on my wrist and I spin, bringing the knife from my boot up with my left hand as I turn. Flint’s wide-eyed face is enough to break me out of my frenzy and I force my left hand to release the knife before completing the arc into Flint’s stomach. My hand still lands there though, too much momentum to stop completely. I relax my right arm and Flint releases it.
    “Sorry,” I mumble. I retrieve the knife I dropped and return the other to sit next to the rest of the seller’s wares.
    “She’s crazy!” I cringe at Daniel’s words. “Something needs to be done about her. Dane’s let this go on too long. Loony bitch just attacked me for no reason.”
    “You provoked her,” says Matt from somewhere off to the side. “I saw it.”
    “Stay out of this, Bird Boy.” Daniel practically hisses. “Go back to your birds.”
    “Did you?” asks Flint. “Provoke her I mean.”
    “No!” Daniel flings his arms up. “I was just explaining to her that guns were for hunters and guards only and then trying to help her find a more appropriate birthday present for her brother.”
    “Why were you trying to buy a gun, Jax?” Crap. Crap. Crap. Flint knows Jace almost as well as I do and my present excuse is not going to get by him. He studies my face waiting for an answer, but, too worked up to think of a new excuse, I just look away. “Nevermind. Daniel, go find something productive to do. Jax, come with me.”
    I cross my arms over my chest. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
    He ignores my protest and moves to grab my arm.
    I smack his hand away. “You don’t want to do that right now.”
    “Fine then. Go home.” He points a finger at my nose and narrows his eyes. “I’m going to take care of Daniel, but you, me, and Jace are going to sit down and have a talk later.”
    Does he think I’m some disobedient child to be ordered around? I scowl at him.
    Flint runs his hand through his hair. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that…just tell Jace I’ll be over in a couple hours.”
    “Will do.” Just not right now. Or anytime soon. Forcing my mouth into a reassuring smile, I give him a mock salute and then walk off.
    Once out of his sight, I quicken my steps, close my eyes and let out a long, slow breath. I should have stopped walking for my little stress release because, since I can’t see where I’m going with my eyes closed, I collide with Emily and land on my butt in the dirt.
    “Oh goodness, I’m sorry,” she says. She puts out a hand to help me up but quickly retracts it as I get back to my feet on my own.
    I brush the dirt off the back of my pants. “It’s okay. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
    “Did you hear about the alien ship that was spotted East of town? One of the hunters thinks it may have even landed for a while.” My stomach drops. “Wasn’t Jace out hunting today?”
    “Uh, yeah, he was.” My mind searches for the right words, the ones that will get rid of her and get me back on my way. “But he came home early today. Wasn’t feeling well.”
    “Oh no,” says Emily. “Is there anything I can do?”
    “Nope, there’s nothing at all you can do for Jace right now.” Bad choice of words.
    Emily’s brow furrows. “Is everything okay?”
    Why is everyone asking me that today? Am I that obvious? I’m saved— if you can call it that— from answering by a commotion up the street. Three soldiers are jogging in our direction. They brush right by us and Emily steps closer.
    “Jax, are you okay? you’ve gone a bit pale…” She places a gentle hand on my shoulder. For once, it’s not the touch of her hand that sends my stomach dropping to the ground, it’s the direction the soldiers are heading— East, toward my house. Of course, I don’t know for sure that’s where they’re going, but…
    “Crap.”
    Emily looks from my face to the soldiers. “What’s